Drug administration and humor sampling unit and an apparatus therefor

• US 5,582,586 A
• Filed: 04/22/1994
• Issued: 12/10/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Katsuro Tachibana, Shunro Tachibana
• Original Assignee: Katsuro Tachibana, Shunro Tachibana
• Inventors: Tachibana, Katsuro, Tachibana, Shunro
• Primary Examiner(s): Yasko, John D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bockelman, Mark
• Application Number:
  US08/232,002
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 604/20-22, 601/2, 607/149-153, 607/115, 128/760, 128/766
• US Class Current: 604/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/30 Apparatus for iontophoresis, i.e. transfer of media in ionic state by an electromotoric force into the body, or cataphoresis

Abstract

The present invention discloses a unit and its apparatus for drug administration and humor sampling, capable of increasing the drug absorption rate with a lower voltage applied and of collecting a sufficient amount of body fluid with a lower voltage applied. The present invention provides drug administration and humor sampling units A and B comprising electrodes 7a and 7b for applying D.C. voltage as well as ultrasonic vibrating elements 8a and 8b, each disposed inside fluid containers 4a and 4b having openings on the side for contact with skin and being filled with a solution; said drug administration and humor sampling units A and B being disposed on a common adhesive sheet 1 to form a drug administration and humor sampling apparatus. In accordance with this invention, as irradiation with ultrasonic waves reduces the electric resistance of the skin, sufficient electrical current will flow through the skin to enable drug administration or body fluid sampling by means of electrophoresis, even if the voltage between electrodes is reduced.

Claims

1. A drug administration apparatus comprising a drug administration unit including an electrode for applying D.C. voltage and an ultrasonic vibrating element, each being disposed inside a common container positioned on an adhesive sheet, said container having an opening on a side adjacent to said adhesive sheet for contacting skin and said container being filled with a drug solution wherein at least two of said drug administration units are disposed on said adhesive sheet, said apparatus further comprising a driving device disposed on said adhesive sheet for applying different DC potentials to each of the electrodes of said respective drug administration units and for providing ultrasonic wave electric signals for each of said ultrasonic vibrating elements.

2. A humor sampling apparatus comprising a humor sampling unit including an electrode for applying D.C. voltage and an ultrasonic vibrating element, each being disposed inside a common container positioned on an adhesive sheet, said container having an opening on a side adjacent to said adhesive sheet for skin contact and said container being filled with an electrolytic solution wherein at least two of said humor sampling units are disposed on said adhesive sheet, said apparatus further comprising a driving device disposed on said adhesive sheet for applying different DC potentials to each of the electrodes of said respective humor sampling unit and for providing ultrasonic wave electric signals for each of said ultrasonic vibrating elements.